Parole sweep nets dozens

Friday

Dec 14, 2012 at 12:01 AM

STOCKTON - San Joaquin County law enforcement officials were out in force in the final hours of a two-day, multiagency operation Thursday when authorities spotted a white minivan driving recklessly near March Lane and Interstate 5 shortly before 4 p.m.

Jason Anderson

STOCKTON - San Joaquin County law enforcement officials were out in force in the final hours of a two-day, multiagency operation Thursday when authorities spotted a white minivan driving recklessly near March Lane and Interstate 5 shortly before 4 p.m.

An officer assigned to the Delta Regional Auto Theft Taskforce attempted to initiate a traffic stop after the Ford Aerostar struck four occupied vehicles on March Lane, but the driver, 20-year-old Ronald Harris, fled south on Interstate 5, authorities said.

The van exited the freeway at Alpine Avenue, traveled south on North Ryde Avenue and made an abrupt right turn on West Michigan Avenue before Harris and two other occupants jumped out of the vehicle while it was still moving, police said.

Harris and his passengers fled on foot while the van rolled slowly into the front yard of a home in the 2600 block of West Michigan Avenue, witnesses said. Authorities apprehended two of the three men and found what appeared to be several pounds of marijuana inside the van.

Harris and 19-year-old John Ivory were arrested on suspicion of possession of marijuana, possession of marijuana for sale, transporting marijuana for sale, hit-and-run and evading police, authorities said. Police were unable to locate a third man who fled from the van.

"I've got two strikes," Harris told police. "I didn't want to get pulled over with any weed on me, so I just kept going."

The San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office oversaw the multiagency operation, which included 10 teams of law enforcement officials from Stockton, Lodi, Tracy and Manteca. The first day consisted of parole and probation searches at 104 locations throughout San Joaquin County resulting in 34 arrests, 22 gun confiscations and the seizure of 5 pounds of marijuana. The second day included saturation and surveillance operations.

"It's been pretty productive," said Sgt. Mike Jones of the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office. "A large number of weapons and a large amount of drugs were taken off the streets."

Many of Wednesday's parole and probation searches turned up nothing, but those visits are worthwhile, too, Jones said.

"Sometimes we go to a house to conduct probation or parole searches and we find they're in compliance and obeying the laws," Jones said. "That's what they're supposed to be doing, and that's good, but they know we're watching them, and that just lets them know, 'Hey, we're coming.' "

Jones said the operation was designed to suppress robberies and violent crimes.

"This is a violent time for the citizens of San Joaquin County, and we're trying to keep the streets safe," Jones said. "This is the holiday season, so people are out shopping. When people are out shopping, they could become victims of crimes of opportunity, but being out here with a strong presence helps to alleviate that problem."

Residents on West Michigan Avenue were pleased to learn that law enforcement officials were working together to make San Joaquin County safer.

"I just bought this house, and I take pride in my neighborhood, so I'm glad they're out here doing this," said Fred Hearn, 53. "There are a lot of people who take pride in Stockton, and it's time they clean it up."

Susan Madera, 38, agreed, saying Thursday she felt safer knowing there was a heavier police presence on the streets.

"It makes me feel a lot better that there are more police officers out here," she said. "We need more police officers to get all these criminals out of here."